GPPC Moves to Replace First Republic-Era Printing Machines to Boost Service Delivery, Managing Director Says

By Makutu Manneh

The Managing Director of The Gambia Printing and Publishing Corporation (GPPC), Wura Bah, has disclosed that the state-owned enterprise has developed an investment plan to replace its ageing printing equipment dating back to the First Republic, in a bid to improve efficiency and service delivery.

Speaking in an interview with QTV, Bah said the initiative has already received approval from both the corporation’s board and the State-Owned Enterprises (SOE) Commission, paving the way for the modernization of GPPC into a fully equipped, modern printing press.

“Our operational challenge right now is machinery capacity because we have been using these machines since the First Republic. Printing is expensive, and acquiring new machines requires significant resources,” he explained.

Bah noted that despite GPPC’s statutory mandate requiring public institutions to prioritize its services, compliance remains inconsistent. He said some government entities continue to outsource printing services elsewhere, largely due to concerns about quality.

He further identified enforcement as a major challenge affecting the corporation’s performance. According to him, existing provisions under GPPC’s performance contract with the government—particularly Articles 9, 9.1, and 9.2—require the relevant line ministry to intervene when public institutions fail to utilize GPPC’s services.

“We are expected to at least receive quotations and handle the printing of revenue materials such as receipts and invoices for public institutions,” Bah said, adding that stronger enforcement of these provisions would significantly improve the corporation’s financial standing.

He expressed confidence that full compliance by public institutions would place GPPC in a stronger operational and financial position, enabling it to better fulfill its national mandate.

“Unfortunately, with our broad mandate, we should be on a good footing, but we are not, because the enforcement side is what is lacking,” he added.

The Gambia Printing and Publishing Corporation is a state-owned enterprise responsible for providing commercial printing, publishing, and distribution services to government institutions and the wider public sector.